Seal



Sept. 4, 1934. w. J. MCKITRICK SEAL Filed Feb. 19, 1954 Ml/iam J NICK/Trick IN VEN TOR.

K/Maw A TTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 4, 1934 UbiiTE SEAL William J. McKitrick, Lawrence, Kans., assignor of one-half to Edward McKitrick, Lawrence,

Kans.

Application February '19, 1934, Serial No. 712,037

1 Claim. (01. 292315) This invention relates to new and usefulim provements in seals.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a seal which is capable of being employed for preventing unauthorized or undetected access to containers, freight cars, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a seal which is capable of being closed or locked to prevent destruction without being detected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a seal which may be closed or locked without necessitating the use of a fusible material, employed to bind together or bond certain portions of the seal, and without requiring the use of any special tools.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description:

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the seal embodying this invention, and shown prior to being locked or closed, and

Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views disclosing two diiierent stages of closing or locking the seal.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 1 designates the main body portion of the seal. This body portion is of uniform width throughout its length and has formed therein at one end portion an aperture 2. Connected to this same end of the body portion, as by being formed integral therewith, is a tongue 5 which is of less width than the width of the body portion 1.

Reduction in width of the tongue 5 produces a shoulder 3 at the point of connection between the body 1 and the tongue 5. The extremity of the tongue is pointed or sharpened as at 6. Intermediate the ends of the tongue 5, the side edges of the tongue are provided with notches 4 which function to weaken this region of the tongue.

The remaining end portion of the body 1 has struck therefrom two offset or upstanding loops 7 and 8 which are spaced from each other.

It is understood that this entire seal structure is formed of a suitable material, such as a metal which is capable of being bent but is of such a brittle character that when any portion of the same is subjected to a sharp bend, the material at the bite of the bend will be subjected to strains and stresses which will prevent the material from being rebent or straightened out without causing the material to break at the bend.

Figure 2 discloses the seal after it has been partially closed.

The first step in closing or looking the seal consists of threading the reduced tongue through both of the loops '7 and 8 with the inner loop 7, being the one to first receive the tongue.

The notches 4 should be spaced a suitable distance from the shoulders 3 so that after the tongue 5 has been fully inserted through the loops 7 and 8, the shoulders 3 will engage against one side or the loop 7 and the notches 4 will be positioned just beyond the outer side of the loop 8.

The projecting portion of the tongue 5 then should be bent through substantially 180 or until it overlies the portion of the tongue received within the loops.

During this catching in an object foreign to the seal.

The

bending of the tongue at the weakened portion, produced by the notches i, will prevent the tongue from. being rebent or straightened out without breaking at the said weakened portion. Tampering with the seal, therefore, will be detected by the breaking off of the outer portion of the tongue.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size. and arrangement of parts will be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described the invention, Iclaim:

A seal comprising an elongated body portion, an offset "loop struck from the body portion at one end thereof, said body'portion having an aperture formed therein adjacent its remaining end, and a tongue projecting longitudinally from said remaining end of the body portion adapted to be inserted through said loop and being of sufficient length to have its extremity inserted being weakened.

WILLIAM J. MCKITRICK. 

